Lonely Planet China
Page 75
The tour includes a visit to fascinating Zhāngbì Cūn (张壁村), a still-occupied Yuan-dynasty farming village above the tunnels. You can wander its cobblestone streets and temples for free if you don’t mind skipping the underground castle.
You can only get here on tour or by private car (per day ¥350). Check with your accommodation in Píngyáo.
Qikŏu 碛口
%0358 / Pop 32,000
Separated from neighbouring Shaanxi (Shǎnxī) province by the fast-flowing Yellow River (黄河; Huáng Hé), this tiny Ming River port found prosperity during its Qing heyday when hundreds of merchants lived here, only to lose it when the Japanese army arrived in 1938. Qìkǒu is well worth visiting for its evocative stone courtyards and cobbled pathways. All wind their way, eventually, up to the Black Dragon Temple, which overlooks the town.
While it's lost a bit of charm due to recent construction of tourist amenities in the main town, considerable appeal survives, for now. The weekly market on Saturday is a good time to visit.
1Sights
Qikŏu's main draw is the nearby ancient village of Lǐjiā Shān, a settlement of hundreds of cave dwellings (窑洞; yáodòng), some of which remain inhabited today.
Lǐjiā ShānCAVE
(李家山 )
For anyone wanting to experience Shānxī’s cave houses (窑洞; yáodòng), this remote, supremely peaceful 550-year-old village, hugging a hillside with terraces of crops running up it, has hundreds of cave dwellings scaling nine storeys. Once home to more than 600 families, most with the family name Li, today’s population is much depleted at around 45. Some stone paths and stairways that twist up the hill date from Ming times; note the rings on some walls that horses were tied to.
As with many semiabandoned villages in China, almost all inhabitants today are elderly: the local school, with caves for classrooms, no longer operates. The village is however very popular with artists who have come to walk in the footsteps of the late Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong, a pioneer in modern Chinese painting who found inspiration here. The surrounding countryside offers ample opportunities for hikes and there are now homestays (农家乐; nóngjiālè; ¥60 including meals) offering basic accommodation for those who wish to get away from it all. People here speak Jin, although most understand Mandarin.
To get here, cross the bridge by Qìkǒu’s bus stop and follow the river for about 30 minutes until you see a blue sign indicating Lǐjiā Shān. Walk on for about 100m and then take the road up the hill for another 30 minutes and you’ll reach the old village. Local cars do a return run for around ¥50 to ¥60. If you're planning on staying, you'll need to negotiate a rate or walk out.
Black Dragon TempleTAOIST SITE
(黑龙庙, Hēilóng Miào )F
They say the acoustics of this Ming Taoist temple, with wonderful views of the Yellow River, were so excellent that performances held on its stage were audible on the other side of the river in Shaanxi (Shǎnxī) province. Sadly, the stage is unused today. You can't miss the temple: from Qìkǒu’s main road, head up any number of old cobbled pathways up the hill, via the odd courtyard or two.
4Sleeping
Some locals offer clean beds (with an outhouse) for around ¥60; look for the characters 住宿 (zhùsù), which means 'accommodation', or 有房 (yǒufáng), which means 'rooms available'. For something more comfortable, with views onto the Yellow River, the Qìkǒu Kèzhàn is a good choice.
Qìkǒu KèzhànGUESTHOUSE$
(碛口客栈 %0358 446 6188; d/tw/tr ¥188/218/388; iW)
Overlooking the Yellow River in Qìkǒu, this distinctive, friendly, 180-year-old (the Red Army used it as a base in WWII) place has comfortable and very large, yáodòng (cave-dwelling) style rooms with kàng beds set off by two 300-year-old courtyards. Up the stone stairs is a wonderful terrace with great views over the river.
8Getting There & Away
One bus runs from the west bus station in Tàiyuán to Qìkǒu (¥70, four hours, 10.30am). If you miss it, or are coming from Píngyáo, you will have to go through nearby Líshí (离石).
Regular buses go from Tàiyuán to Líshí (¥75, three hours, half-hourly from 7am to 7pm). There are two daily buses from Píngyáo (¥45, two hours, 8.30am and 12.30pm). From Líshí’s long-distance bus station (长途汽车站; chángtú qìchēzhàn), take bus 5 (¥1, 25 minutes) to the Jìniàn Běi (纪念北) crossroads where buses to Qìkǒu (¥20, 1½ hours, 7am to 7pm) depart.
There’s one daily bus from Qìkǒu to Tàiyuán (¥80), but it leaves very early at 5.30am. There are hourly buses to Líshí from Qìkǒu until around 4pm. From Líshí, there are many buses back to Tàiyuán (¥70, from 7am to 8pm), two to Píngyáo (¥45, 8am and 1.40pm) and one to Xī’ān (¥183, eight hours, 11.30am).
Jinchéng
%0356 / Pop 500,000
Jìnchéng (晋城) has few sights in itself, but this small, little-visited city is the launch pad for a historical adventure into Shānxī’s southeast. The surrounding countryside conceals a rich vein of impressive ancient architecture, making this a rewarding stop, particularly if you are continuing south into Hénán.
Bǐfēng TempleBUDDHIST SITE
(笔峰寺; Bǐfēng Sì h6am-6pm)F
The only sight of note in Jìnchéng is Bǐfēng Temple, which sits atop a hill close to the train station. The temple itself is newly built but the nine-storey pagoda dates to the Ming dynasty.
Most hotels in town are either overpriced or won’t accept foreigners, but a small number do, including the Sunshine Hotel.
Sunshine HotelHOTEL$$
(阳光大酒店; Yángguāng Dàjiǔdiàn %0356 222 9001; 568 Zezhou Lu; 泽州路568号 d ¥400, tw ¥500 incl breakfast; aW)
Located just off Wenchang Dongjie (文昌东街), this smart business hotel has clean rooms and decent service. Discounts of 50% are usually available.
On Wenchang Dongjie (文昌东街) you can find a branch of the Bank of China with an ATM (there are many more around town).
Buses depart from the east bus station (客运东站; kèyùn dōngzhàn). Destinations include Tàiyuán (¥115, four hours, every 1½ hours, 6.30am to 6.30pm), Píngyáo (¥110, five hours, 7am, 8am, 9.30am), Zhèngzhōu (¥65, 1½ hours, half-hourly, 5.40am to 6pm), Luòyáng (¥55, hourly, 7.20am to 6.30pm) and Xī’ān (¥180, seven hours, 8.30am and 10am).
The few trains that pass Jìnchéng shuttle between Tàiyuán (hard seat/sleeper ¥54/108, seven hours, eight daily), Zhèngzhōu (¥30 to ¥33, 3½ hours, three daily) and the handy overnighter to Dàtóng (hard sleeper ¥174, 12 hours, 9.18pm).
Bus 2, 3 and 19 (¥1) connect the train station with the east bus station. Bus 5 from the train station travels along the main road, Wenchang Dongjie (文昌东街). Taxi flagfall is ¥5.
Guōyù
This atmospheric walled village (郭峪古城; Guōyù Gǔchéng) is the highlight of a trip to this part of Shānxī. Although there's now an entrance fee (¥50), there's little tourist paraphernalia or nonsense; just the genuine charm of a historic and still-inhabited Ming-dynasty settlement.
The crumbling remains of this one-time fort’s south gate and some of its old walls still stand sentry at the entrance to the village close to the road. Walk 200m and it’s as if you’ve stepped back in time. Narrow alleys and stone streets run past courtyard houses, where the locals sit and chatter in their native dialect.
Tāngdì MiàoTAOIST SITE
(汤帝庙 )
Tāngdì Miào, a 600-year-old Taoist temple, is Guōyù's oldest building. Make sure you climb up to the stage where there are two very rare Cultural Revolution–era paintings adorned with slogans exhorting the locals to work harder (the temple was a government building during that time). It’s also worth looking inside the former courtyard residence of Minister Chen’s grandfather at 1 Jingyang Beilu (景阳北路1号).
Admission here is included with the entrance to the walled village (郭峪古城; Guōyù Gǔchéng; ¥50).
To get here, catch one of the frequent buses headed to Prime Minister
Chen’s Castle (¥15, 1½ hours, 6am to 6.30pm) from Jìnchéng’s east station. Guōyù is a 10-minute walk south of the castle. Return transport is scarce, so it’s best to take a minibus to the small town of Běiliú (北留; ¥5, 15 minutes), then catch an ordinary bus back to Jìnchéng (¥12).
Prime Minister Chen’s Castle
Prime Minister Chen’s CastleCASTLE
(皇成相府; Huángchéng Xiàngfǔ ¥100; h8am-6.30pm)
This beautifully preserved Ming-dynasty castle is the former residence of Chen Tingjing, prime minister under Emperor Kangxi in the late 17th century, and coauthor of China’s most famous dictionary. The Chen family rose to prominence as senior officials in the 16th century and the castle walls were originally constructed to keep revolting peasants out. While it may have tourist trappings today, it remains an attractive and impressive maze of battlements, courtyards, gardens and stone archways.
Don't bother buying the pricier ¥120 ticket, which includes entry to a nearby garden. Regular buses (¥15) run to the ticket office from Jìnchéng’s east bus station. If there isn’t a minibus back to Jìnchéng, minibuses zip to the small town of Běiliú (北留; ¥3, 15 minutes), where you can catch an ordinary bus back to Jìnchéng (¥10).
Shaanxi
Xi'an
Around Xi'an
Hua Shan
Hancheng
Yulin
Shaanxi
Pop 37.4 million
Why Go?
Shaanxi (陕西; Shǎnxī) is where it began for China. As the heartland of the Qin dynasty (秦朝), whose warrior emperor united much of China for the first time, Shaanxi was the cradle of Chinese civilisation and the fountainhead of Han culture. Xī’ān marked the beginning and end of the Silk Road and was a buzzing capital long before anyone knew of Běijīng and its Forbidden City.
Shaanxi’s archaeological sites make it an essential destination. Around Xī’ān there’s an excavated Neolithic village and royal graves, including the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and his Army of Terracotta Warriors, one of the world's foremost heritage sites. Shaanxi also serves up some of the most wholesome and appetising food in the land, especially in Xī’ān's Muslim Quarter.
Xī’ān is an emergent travellers' hub, with hotels, restaurants, museums, ancient pagodas, and a marvellous city wall and Muslim Quarter. Rural areas have fascinating villages barely touched by modernity and mountains that were once home to hermits and sages.
When to Go
AApr & May Spring breezes and it's the ideal time to climb Huá Shān.
ASep & Oct The rain’s stopped and it’s still warm, so hit Xī’ān’s sights.
ADec Avoid the crowds and maybe get the Terracotta Warriors all to yourself.
Best Places to Eat
A Sānjiěmèi Jiǎozi
A Hǎiróng Guōtiēdiàn
A Muslim Family Restaurant
Best Places to Sleep
A Hàn Táng House
A Hàn Táng Inn
A Huá Shān Guesthouse
Shaanxi Highlights
1 Army of Terracotta Warriors Seeing what guardians an emperor enlists to protect him in the afterlife.
2 Big Goose Pagoda Admiring Xī’ān’s classically styled Tang dynasty Buddhist pagoda, the centrepiece for a stunning sound and light show.
3 Huá Shān Watching the sun rise over the Qínlǐng Mountains from atop Taoism’s sacred and dramatic western peak.
4 Hánchéng Exploring this old town with its quaint quarter of buildings dating from the Yuan, Ming and Qing eras.
5 Tomb of Emperor Jingdi Taking a different look at China’s past by gazing down at enthralling excavations.
6 Muslim Quarter Getting lost wandering the backstreets of this ancient Xī’ān quarter.
7 Xī'ān City Walls Hopping on a bike and riding atop these glorious walls that form a 14km loop of the old city.
History
Around 3000 years ago, the Zhou people of the Bronze Age moved out of their Shaanxi homeland, conquered the Shang and became dominant in much of northern China. Later the state of Qin, ruling from its capital Xiányáng (near modern-day Xī’ān), became the first dynasty to unify much of China. Subsequent dynasties, including the Han, Sui and Tang, were based in Xī’ān, then known as Cháng’ān, which was abandoned for the eastern capital of Luòyáng (in Hénán) whenever invaders threatened.
Shaanxi remained the political heart of China until the 10th century. However, when the imperial court shifted eastward, the province’s fortunes began to decline. Rebellions and famine were followed in 1556 by the deadliest earthquake in history, when an estimated 830,000 people died (the unusually high death toll was attributed to the fact that millions were living in cave homes, which easily collapsed in the quake). The extreme poverty of the region ensured that it was an early stronghold of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party).
8Getting There & Around
Xī’ān has one of China’s best-connected airports. Xī’ān is also a hub for road transport and megahighways spread out in all directions. High-speed trains connect Xī’ān to Běijīng, Shànghǎi and other destinations while long-distance buses link to neighbouring provinces and further afield.
Regular trains run between Xī'ān and the other main towns in the region. These trips can also be taken by bus.
Xī'ān 西安
%029 / Pop 8.5 million
Once the terminus of the Silk Road and a melting pot of cultures and religions, as well as home to emperors, courtesans, poets, monks, merchants and warriors, the glory days of Xī’ān (西安; pronounced 'see-an') may have ended in the early 10th century, but a considerable amount of ancient Cháng’ān, the former city, survives behind the often roaring, modern city. Xī’ān’s Ming-era city walls remain intact, vendors of all descriptions still crowd the narrow lanes of the warren-like Muslim Quarter, and there are enough places of interest to keep even the most amateur historian riveted.
Most people only spend two or three days in Xī’ān; dynastic enthusiasts could easily stay busy for a week. Must-sees include the Army of Terracotta Warriors, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi, Xī’ān City Walls and the Muslim Quarter, but try to set aside time for its pagodas and museums, plus a side trip to nearby Huá Shān.
Apr Xī'ān is warming up from winter and the trees are in flower, but brace for the occasional sandstorm.
Sep The heat of summer has ebbed, the chill of winter has yet to arrive and the weather is fine.
Xī'ān
1Sights
1Bell TowerD3
2Drum TowerC3
3Forest of Stelae MuseumD4
4Great MosqueC3
5Guǎngrén TempleA1
6Muslim QuarterC2
7Temple of the Eight ImmortalsG2
8Xī'ān City WallsA2
4Sleeping
9Alley Youth HostelB2
10Bell Tower HotelD3
11Hàn Táng HouseD3
12Hàn Táng InnD3
13Jano's BackpackersD4
14Sahara Youth InnC3
15Shūyuàn Youth HostelD4
16SofitelE2
17Xiāngzǐmén Youth HostelC4
5Eating
18Dǐng Dǐng XiāngC4
19Hǎiróng GuōtiēdiànC3
20Lǎo Sūn JiāD3
21Mǎ Hóng Xiǎochǎo PàomóguǎnC2
22Muslim Family RestaurantC3
23Sānjiěmèi JiǎoziD4
6Drinking & Nightlife
Jamaica BlueD3
King Garden BarA2
ParkQinD4
7Shopping
24Northwest Antique MarketF2
25Shuyuan XiangD4
Temple of the Eight Immortals Antique MarketG2
26Xiyang MarketC3
1Sights
Inside the City Walls
oXī’ān City WallsHISTORIC SITE
(西安城墙, Xī'ān Chéngqiáng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ¥54; h8am-8.30pm Apr-Oct, to 7pm Nov-Mar)
Xī'ān is one of the few cities in China where the imposing old city
walls still stand. Built in 1370 during the Ming dynasty, the magnificent 12m-high walls are surrounded by a dry moat and form a rectangle with a perimeter of 14km. Most sections have been restored or rebuilt, and it is possible to walk the walls in their entirety in a leisurely four hours (or around two hours by bike, or at a slow jog).
Cycling from the South Gate costs ¥40 for 100 minutes (¥200 deposit), while the truly lazy can be whisked around in a golf cart for ¥200. Access ramps are located inside the major gates, with the exception of the South Gate, where the entrance is outside the walls; there's another entrance inside the walls beside the Forest of Stelae Museum. En route, you get to look out over modern-day Xī'ān. From this vantage point it's clear that the city is a hodgepodge of old and new, with the new vastly in the ascendancy. Every now and then a slice of old Xī'ān, such as Guǎngrén Temple, appears and you are rewarded with a bird's-eye view.
To get an idea of Xī'ān's former grandeur, consider this: the Tang city walls originally enclosed 83 sq km, an area seven times larger than today's city centre.
Muslim QuarterHISTORIC SITE
(回族区 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mZhonglou (Bell Tower))
The backstreets leading north from the Drum Tower have been home to the city’s Hui community (non-Uighur Chinese Muslims) for centuries, perhaps as far back as the Ming dynasty or further still. The narrow lanes are full of butcher shops, sesame-oil factories, smaller mosques hidden behind enormous wooden doors, men in white skullcaps and women with their heads covered in coloured scarves. It’s a great place to wander and especially atmospheric at night.